Bristol is just a stone's throw from the countryside

Balloon flies over the Clifton suspension bridge during the 2006 Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. Photograph: Reuters

What they said about Bristol

"Bristol has a great lifestyle culture and affluent population, which fits perfectly with our brand."Harvey Nichols chief executive Joseph Wan

"Bright lights, dizzy heights and great sights. A multicultural, waterfront city right on the countryside's doorstep."Website of the University of the West of England, Bristol

Population

393,900.

Local politics

Bristol city council has no overall control. The Liberal Democrats are the largest party.

MPs

Bristol has five MPs - one Lib Dem, the rest Labour, including Dawn Primarolo, the paymaster general.

Local authority

The council is a unitary authority with a single star - "improving adequately" - but its progress across services varies, according to its comprehensive performance assessment. Its social services have been awarded one star: it is serving "some" adults and children well with an "uncertain" capacity to improve.

Job prospects

The council has shortages of traffic and transport engineers and building control officers.

Health service

United Bristol Healthcare NHS trust was at the centre of the children's heart surgery and organ retention scandal in the 1990s. It is a one-star teaching hospital and had a financial surplus last year. The North Bristol NHS trust has two stars and needs to save £27.7m this year. It has plans for a new integrated £374m acute and community hospital funded by the private finance initiative.

Central government

The probation service; the Crown Prosecution Service and the Health and Safety Executive have offices in the city. Other government offices include the Audit Commission for local government.

Environment/regeneration

A multimillion pound harbourside redevelopment includes new homes and leisure services, and a £500m extension of Broadmead shopping centre is expected to create 3,000 new jobs.

Voluntary sector

There are 889 local; 166 national and 133 international charities in Bristol, with a combined income of £416m. There are 5,288 trustees.